Reverend Frank Alexander

Pastor Frank Alexander was born June 21, 1943, to Elijah Alexander and Annie B. Gaulden Alexander. His early education was in Live Oak Elementary School in Ruston,Louisiana, James E Guinn Elementary in Fort Worth, Texas, and graduating from I. M. Terrell High School, in Fort Worth Texas.He accepted Christ at an early age and attended Mount OliveBaptist Church in Ruston and Zion Rest Baptist Church in Fort Worth. As a boy, he often re-preached the Sunday sermon he had just heard. His first pulpit was a flowering tree in his front yard. By age 13, his preaching had expanded to conducting funeral services for birds and animals, including a pig.

Frank’s family moved to Ft. Worth, Texas when he was 10 years old. Throughout his teen-age years, Alexander spent his extracurricular time in church activities. He was a frequent speaker to youth groups. Occasionally, he participated in activities at the Bethlehem Community Center, a Ministry of the Methodist Church. While spending time with the center director who was a missionary, Frank developed an interest in missions. This new attraction inspired Frank to change his plan to become an Electrical Engineer. The pull of missions led him to attend and graduate from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas. He answered the call to the ministry on a summer night in 1964, at the age of 21. His first public sermon was taken from the Book of Hebrews and was titled “A New Covenant. He preached it at the Zion Rest Baptist Church in August, 1965.

Frank’s first job after graduation was an employment opportunity with the Job Corps in Indiana. While working there, he attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He left the Job Corps in 1969 to become the Director of the Gateway Christian Center in Muncie, Indiana, where he met and united in holy matrimony with Shirley Moody. For the next five years, he worked tirelessly, serving as administrator, fund-raiser, and director of the Youth Center and Health Clinic. In 1974, he was commissioned as a Missionary by the American Baptist Churches, USA and became the Executive Director of the Edna Martin Christian Center in Indianapolis. Because he was a visionary, Frank developed a child care teacher training program for unemployed and under employed persons. In 1975, Frank was called as interim pastor of College Avenue Baptist Church of Indianapolis, then pastor. He later led the church in relocating to the Martindale-Brightwood Neighborhood, changing the name of the church to Oasis of Hope Baptist Church. Under his pastorate, the membership grew from approximately 200 to over 600 individuals. Pastor Alexander’smission focus was evident through his preaching, teaching, and personal community involvement. As the Senior Pastor, he led the congregation to:
• develop two community development corporations,
• acquire a 185-unit apartment complex,
• build a 70-unit of Senior Citizens apartment complex,
• provide needed social services for the community which includes family case management, after school care, a summer day camp,    and youth employment training.

Pastor Alexander was very active in the Martindale-Brightwood community, to the extent that he was affectionately known as “The Mayor of Brightwood”. His involvement and dedication were saluted and celebrated by the numerous awards and community recognitions he received for his work.

Pastor Frank Alexander went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, after a valiant bout with illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 49 years, Shirley; their children: Cedric (Anita), Frank Jr. (Karen) Nicole, Charisse, and Michelle (Anthony) Edwards, their 8 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Other survivors include his sisters, Annie McDaniel, LaJoyee Harrison, Linda J. Alexander, Naomi Drummond, A’mie Alexander and his brother, Elijah A. Alexander Jr., plus other relatives, the Oasis of Hope church family and a host of friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday November 22, 2019 from 4:00pm-8:00pm at Oasis of Hope Baptist Church. Additional visitation will be held the following day on Saturday November 23, 2019 at Oasis of Hope 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
A Home Going Celebration of Pastor Alexander’s life will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Oasis of Hope Baptist Church.  Interim Pastor Morris Glenn Bradley as Officiant and Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson Sr. as Eulogist.  Pastor Alexander will be entombed at Crown Hill Mausoleum.

Services of comfort will be provided by Bluitt and Son Funeral Home. www.BluittandSon.com

Service will be live streamed via YouTube Live on Saturday, November 23, 2019, starting at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time), 4:00 p.m. (GMT). Visit YouTube Channel: GraysonDenmark

https://www.youtube.com/user/GraysonDenmark/

Click on the “SUSCRIBE” button, then click the bell icon to receive notification of the start of the Live Stream.

Patrick Grayson-Denmark

In honor of
Pastor Frank Alexander’s
life and legacy, the family suggests making memorial contributions to:

Oasis MODUC
4430 McCoy St. #269207
Indianapolis, IN 46226

Oasis MODUC (Mission for Orphans, Disabled and Unaccompanied Children) is a nonprofit organization founded by Frank Alexander to support orphaned children in Liberia West Africa.
The EIN is 47-5148587.

or

Oasis of Hope Dollars for Scholars
1701 E. 25th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46218
oasisofhope.dollarsforscholars.org

(EIN: 46-5102485)
Please specify the Frank Alexander
Leadership Award Scholarship

Thank you!